What if
by KatnissGeller22
Summary: What if Katniss didn't volunteer for Prim at the reaping for the 74th Hunger Games? This is what would happen in my mind...
1. Nightmares

Chapter 1: Nightmares

In the middle of the night, I wake up from a terrible nightmare. The same kind I have always been getting recently, my name being picked in the reaping. Katniss is still asleep, so I move out from under the bed covers with care not to disturb Katniss's peaceful sleep.

I don't know how she does it, sleeping peacefully the night before the reaping. It might just be because she has gone through this for a few years now and this is my first year with this new fear. I've also always been a worrier and many things scare me. It seems like nothing scares my sister Katniss.

She seems so peaceful sleeping in our bed. I wish I could have a peaceful night's sleep. I've only seen her angry once before, when mom went into a depression after dad died.

After I am safely out of the bed, I sneak into my mother's room. I don't know what it is when I crawl into my mother's bed, but when I do, I always feel more secure. I know she is awake, because when I lay down beside her, she starts to slowly rub my back gently.

This has been happening every night for about a month now. I've told her about the nightmare dozens of times. She knows every detail of it just like I do. She told me she had the same nightmare when she was the age to be reaped into the frightening hunger games.

I finally fall asleep, thinking about Katniss's reassuring words.

"It's your first year Prim, your name's only in once, they're not going to pick you."

She seemed so sure that what she was saying was true, like there wasn't even the smallest chance at my name being picked. But I don't know how she can be? Doesn't she even have the slightest fear? Maybe because she has been through this for a few years now. She had her name entered more times for more food for our starving family.

Even though my name may be in only once, I have the strangest feeling that it will be my name rolling off of Effie Trinket's tongue at the reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games.


	2. The Hob

Chapter 2: The Hob

When my mom wakes up, I wake up. She gives me a small amount of money, but probably almost all that we have, and she tells me to go out and buy a nice outfit to wear to the reaping today. I am surprised by this because mom normally doesn't let me wonder around district 12 alone. When I do go into town, it is almost always with her or Katniss, but never both at once.

I take advantage of the rare opportunity and go to the Hob. My mom warns me about this place. She says it's dangerous and illegal, but curiosity is killing me, so I have to go and see it for myself.

When I get there, it's not at all like my mother's description. It is a broken down, old, warehouse type building. It's full of people, some selling things, and some buying things. Those who are selling have old tables made of burnt wood or scrap metal to set their products on. Everyone in the old building looks very poor, just like almost everyone in district 12. Since money is hard to come by for people like us, some people trade with the sellers with things that may seem useless to other people, but they apparently have some worth.

Suddenly, I see familiar faces. Katniss and Gale. If they see me, they will be furious! I quickly start to walk in the opposite direction they are going, and duck under a nearby table. The seller at the table is an old woman with her grey hair tied back in a bun and glasses. She looks down under her table at me with a curious look. Nobody has probably hidden under her sale table before.

"Dear, I'm afraid you might have to come out from under my table. I won't hurt you. You're safe here." She says, holding her hand out to me.

I take her hand and make sure Katniss and Gale are gone before I actually get up.

"What were you doing down there? What is a little girl doing at the Hob to begin with?" She asks.

"My mom sent me out to go and find a nice outfit to wear for the reaping." I say. "I've always wondered what it was like here. This is also my first year in the reaping, so I wanted to go somewhere I've never been." I continue explaining.

"That still doesn't explain why you were under my table, honey… You know what? Forget that… I have the perfect reaping outfit for you." She says while she takes an outfit off of her table. The outfit had a white blouse with a few small ruffles near the chest area and a skirt with a green floral pattern.

"I sewed it myself and I think it would look absolutely beautiful on you. Take it for no cost, seeing you wear it would be priceless in my eyes." She says with the most genuine smile I have ever seen in my life.

I don't know how to respond to her generosity. I have never received anything this nice before, I don't receive many gifts at all.

"I don't know how I will ever thank you!" I exclaim.

"You don't need to thank me.." she says with a wave of dismissal.

"Just be careful today little one, the reaping's odds are never in anyone's favor." She continues.

I nod at her strange advice and say a kind goodbye. But what if she is right? The odds are never in the favor of those chosen for the games, but I thought of you weren't chosen, that the odds were in your favor. The way we live in district 12 is certainly not lucky, but nor are the games. There is no way to win.


	3. The Reaping

Chapter 3: The Reaping

"You look beautiful!" Katniss exclaims.

I smile at her. She looks beautiful too. Mom put out a long blue dress out for her. The color looks even better on her because her brown hair makes it pop out more than my blonde hair would.

She kneels down in front of me, low enough that I have to look down to meet her eyes.

"You better tuck in your tail, little duck." She says while she tucks in the back of my blouse that I forgot to. Suddenly, both of our smiles fade as we come to the realization to why we are dressed up. To give the Gamemakers a good impression before they kill us, if one of us is reaped.

Katniss grabs my hand while we wait in line to sign in. I try to look over the people in front of us to see the sign in table. When I do, I am full of anxiety. They prick your finger. I hate anything that involves pain; I don't have a big pain tolerance. Katniss sees my anxiety and pulls me off to the side of the line so the other people behind us can go past without us being an obstacle.

"It's okay, they just take a little blood and it's done. It doesn't even hurt that much." She reassures me. I believe her, so I nod and we continue in our spot in line.

After we are registered, the children to be reaped are separated in age and gender groups. I stand with all of the other 12 year old girls. Katniss stands with all the other 16 year old girls, further in the back. I see Gale too. He is with all of the other 18 year old boys, not that far away from Katniss. I am about to cry right here and now, but I bite my lip and hold back the tears; I don't see anyone else getting emotional, so, why should I?

Just then, Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy walk out to the stage. Haymitch is very drunk; he is stumbling over his own feet. Somehow, he finally makes it to the chair set out for him on the stage, right behind Effie.

"WELCOME! WELCOME! WELCOME!" Effie starts. She comes from the capitol, and she must not understand that having a chance at death on live T.V. is not all that exciting.

"Welcome everyone! It's such an honor to announce the winners of the reaping for the 74th annual Hunger Games! Now I have a special video for you that came right from the capitol!" She exclaims.

An overly dramatic video comes on the two big screens in front of us. I can't pay attention, Haymitch looks like he is about to vomit at any minute. He is the only thing distracting me from the terror coming up, the name drawing.

When the video ends, finally, Effie comes back out to the center of the stage.

"Don't you just love that!?" She exclaims.

"No." I think to myself. "The capitol has brainwashed you to think you love it."

"Now, what you have all been waiting for, and as always, ladies first." She says. It's finally time for the name drawing. I close my eyes and take a long, deep breath. It's so quiet that I hear Effie reach her hand into the bowl that contains all of the names and un-fold the piece of paper with the "lucky winner".

"Primrose Everdeen!" She says pronouncing more than necessary.

I open my eyes. She said my name… I guess nightmares do come true.


End file.
